The Brunel Museum

Brunel’s First Project

Scheduled Ancient Monument, International Landmark, Oldest Tunnel in the Oldest Underground in the World

The Brunel Museum is open 10:00 to 17:00 seven days a week, with late openings for special events. A small museum, but a big story in the award winning upper gallery. And below the trains still run through the Tunnel. The Museum gardens are always open…

Brunel’s Last Project

Biggest Ship in the World, First Modern Ocean Liner, the Ship that Changed Everything

In the lower gallery an exhibition about Brunel’s greatest ship. A few hundred yards down the river on the Isle of Dogs, the launch ways of SS Great Eastern are accessible by Thames Clipper via Masthouse Terrace Pier or London Walk three times a week. The launch ways are always open…

Brunel’s Grand Entrance Hall

Underground Chamber half the size of Shakespeare’s Globe

Open after 150 years for concerts, opera, heritage talks, lectures and theatre. Details of these events, guided walks, heritage boat trips, shows and garden events can be found on the Events pages. Also available for society visits and private events.

The Grand Entrance Hall, where young Brunel nearly drowned, was the world’s first underground theatre. Before the trains came, the chamber echoed with applause for acrobats, tightrope walkers and serenaders. With support from the Association of Independent Museums and Biffa, the Museum is fitting out a spectacular new gallery and underground theatre. Planning Approval has been given and work begins on site in 2015.

Check out Future Plans for details of this exciting scheme and how you can support us.

Support our plans for the shaft

Visitor access to the shaft is currently via a very low doorway reached by stepping over a flood defense wall. Once through the doorway, visitors must use a temporary scaffold walkway to reach the bottom. We plan to improve access to the shaft.